Hair comb



HAIR COMB Filed, Nov. 28, 1940 INVENTOR LOUIS MARICK BYMyW ATTORNEY hairwith which the comb contacts.

Patented Dec. 16, 1941 HAIR COMB Louis Marick, Grosse Pointe Farms,Mich., as-

signor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporationof New Jersey Application November 28, 1940, Serial No. 367,505

2 Claims.

This invention relates to hair combs and, in particular, it relates torubber hair combs having electrically conducting characteristics.

Most combs in present day use are formed of plastic materials such as arubber composition or the like. Rubber compositions are well adapted tothe manufacture of combs because of their provide a component of rubbercomposition having electrically conducting characteristics fordisability to be molded into various shapes and in various degrees ofhardness in combination with the desired amount of resiliency.

One of the principal objections to plastic or rubber composition combslies in their peculiar reaction to static electricity. Ordinary rubbercompositions are good electrical insulators and are usually readilyelectrified when rubbed with dry materials. For example, combsconventionally in use today show static electrical effects when used'incombing dry hair. Hard rubber combs are especially prone to thisbehavior. Both the comb and the hair receive a charge of electricity inthe combing process which are of opposite kind, usually positive in thehair and negative on the comb. Since the hair as well as the comb is anon-conductor, the charges reside on the outer surfaces of both andattract each other. In successive combing strokes the hair is attractedto the comb, resulting in an annoying condition and defeating thepurpose of the combing operation. Instead of the hair lying smoothly inplace, repeated combing causes the individual hairs to becomeelectrified with charges of the same kind, causing them to repel eachother so that they separate and stand apart from each other. In somecases the hair becomes so electrified that it falls forward and clingsto the forehead of the individual. These conditions are more pronouncedwhen the hair is dry and the relative humidity is low.

According to my invention, a rubber composition comb having electricallyconducting properties provides for the discharge of static and preventsits accumulation on the comb or the A generous portion of the comb isusually grasped by the operator's hand, thus completing a circuitthrough which the static charge is grounded or dissipated.

It is recognized that these static characteristies are not associatedwith metallic combs, such as aluminum combs; however, metallic combs areobjectionable for many reasons, as, for ex ample, they cannot be moldedso readily as plas tic combs and do not present the pleasing surfacetexture characterized by the plastic combs. Among the obiazts at myinvention are to sipating static charges; to provide an electricallyconducting comb which may be readily molded; to provide a rubbercomposition comb which may be manufactured efiiciently and economically;and to-provide a comb which will permit hair dressers and barbers torender excellent and efflcient service.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing,

which: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a comb embodying the composition ofmy invention; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse view thereof, in section, taken along lines IIIIof Fig. 1.

With reference to the drawing, I show a comb of conventional typecomprising essentially a body portion 1 from which a plurality of teeth2 project. The purpose of the illustration is to show that the comb maybe formed in any desired conventional shape consistent with conventionalmethods of molding. Immaterial composition the comb consists essentiallyof a rubber composition but contains an electrically conducting mediumin the form of an electrically conducting carbon black. Such a carbonblack is best exemplified by acetylene carbon black. An example of apreferred composition is as followsr Parts by weight Rubber 100Acetylene carbon black 80 Cotton seed oil Z Carnauba wax 4 Accelerator1.50 Sulfur The use of such a composition permits the formation of acomb having all of the advantages of conventional rubber or plasticcombs yet including the special advantage of its electrically conductingproperties. While I have illustrated a compound containing parts ofacetylene carbon black to parts of rubber, good results can be obtainedby incorporating lesser amounts of the conducting black. For example, 20parts of the conducting black may be used with efin the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus shown and described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A comb comprising a longitudinal body portion and spaced teethextending transversely therefrom and formed ofa rubber compositioncontaining suflicient electrically conductive carbon black to dissipatea static electric charge upon the comb.

2. A comb comprising a longitudinal body portion and spaced teethextending transversely therefrom and formed of a rubber compositioncontaining suflicient electrically conductive acetylene carbon black toconduct away a static electric charge upon the comb.

LOUIS MARICK.

